By JESSE GRAHAM
RATEPAYERS appear to be the outright winners of the Yarra Ranges Council’s new Draft Budget, with lower than expected rate rises for the coming year.
On Tuesday 12 May, the council unanimously endorsed the 2015/16 Draft Budget, which maps out the council’s planned spending for the coming year.
The budget outlines $39.22 million in new capital works, which will be added to $20.08 million in works carried over from the current financial year.
The Capital Works Program features winners in the Yarra Valley and in the hills, with Healesville’s Don Road Sporting Pavilion allocated $800,000 for works, along with $2 million towards the Monbulk Regional Soccer Centre’s construction.
But the big winner from the budget appears to be ratepayers, who will only have a 3.3 per cent rate rise, instead of an anticipated 4.8 per cent.
Yarra Ranges Council CEO Glenn Patterson said the 1.5 per cent cut on the rate rise was a one-off reduction in the aftermath of the carbon tax repeal, which is equivalent to returning about $1.44 million to the public.
“We had to find close to $2 million of operational expenditure savings to return the 1.5 per cent carbon price back to the community – we’ve done that,” he said.
Mr Patterson and Corporate Services director Troy Edwards said the savings were found by “doing more with less”, including not renewing jobs in some departments when vacancies come up.
In the lead-up to the State Government’s rate-capping for councils, Yarra Ranges has forecast the coming years’ rate increases at 3.9 per cent ongoing, also down from 4.8 per cent.
This, according to Mr Patterson and Mr Edwards, may change depending on the government’s approach to the capping, which has yet to be revealed.
“We’re anticipating we probably have to make a move lower, but we just don’t know,” Mr Edwards said.
“We have to start to think about how to grow that culture, how to do more with less.”
The proposal to cap council rates at the Consumer Price Index was promised by Labor before the election, and the cap is expected to be brought in for the 2016/17 financial year.
CPI is currently about 2.5 per cent – significantly lower than the current rate increases.
As for this year’s 3.3 per cent increase, the budget lists maintaining service levels and meeting costs, including a reduction in the Victorian Grants Commission allocation and capital works making up 1.8 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively.
In the 2015/16 year, $122,853,000 is expected to be raised from council rates, up $4,911,000 from last year’s rate collection. The whole budget manages $171 million across the shire.
Of the $39.22 million for capital works, $10.29 million will be spent on road works, $3.61 million on footpaths and $2.69 on parks and open spaces.
Highlights from the Capital Works Program include $100,000 for the design phase of the Upwey-Tecoma Community Recreational and Sporting Hub (UTCRASH), $500,000 for improved facilities at Montrose Town Centre and $200,000 for the redevelopment of the garage building at Ben’s Shed Storeroom (with $30,000 from other sources).
Councillors Andy Witlox and Jason Callanan were not present for the councillor vote on the Draft Budget.
Members of the public can make submissions until 5pm on Thursday 11 June.
A public meeting on the draft budget will be held at 7pm on Tuesday 16 June, at the Civic Centre on Anderson Street in Lilydale, where all submissions will be considered.
The full document, including the proposed Long Term Financial Plan and the Council Plan (2015 Update) is now online here.
For more details from the budget, see next week’s Mail.
